How to Clean an Air Fryer (Basket, Drawer and Heating Element)

Every major air fryer maker publishes exactly what its basket and crisper plate can survive, and the three most common US brands agree on almost nothing except one rule: never scrub with metal. This guide pulls the actual cleaning instructions from the Ninja, COSORI, and Instant manuals, checks the current CPSC recall list, and shows which cleaning habits scratch a nonstick coating down to bare metal. The steps below come from published manuals, manufacturer product pages, and the federal recall database, not a lab test, as explained on how we score.

If you only change one habit after reading this, soak the crisper plate before you scrub it. COSORI’s manual calls for a 10 to 15 minute soak on stuck-on grease before wiping, a step that is easy to skip when you are in a hurry and cooking again in twenty minutes.

Clean the Basket and Crisper Plate After Every Use

1. Unplug the unit and let it cool to room temperature. COSORI’s TurboBlaze manual and Instant’s Vortex manual both list a full cool-down as the first cleaning step, not an aside.
2. Pull the basket and crisper plate out of the cooking chamber. Wipe loose crumbs into the trash first so you are not rinsing solids down the drain.
3. Wash with hot, soapy water and a non-abrasive sponge. Soak for 10 to 15 minutes first if grease has hardened, per COSORI’s manual.
4. Check the part against your specific manual before using a dishwasher. COSORI’s TurboBlaze basket and crisper plate are dishwasher-safe on the top rack. Instant’s Vortex manual dishwasher-safes only the cooking tray, with a footnote that some discoloration can occur, and tells owners to hand-wash the separate air fry basket instead, even though Instant’s own product FAQ for the same unit states the basket is “top rack dishwasher safe.” When the printed manual and the marketing page disagree, follow the manual.
5. Air dry the parts completely before reinstalling. Instant’s manual specifically warns to let the basket air dry before it goes back in the unit, since a damp basket traps moisture against the heating coil.

Clean the Drawer, Interior, and Heating Element

1. Wipe the inside walls of the cooking chamber with a damp cloth and mild dish soap. Never immerse the base unit, cord, or plug in water; Instant’s manual lists this as a shock hazard, not just a maintenance note.
2. Inspect the heating coil for grease spatter after cooking anything fatty. COSORI’s manual points to the coil as the part owners forget to check.
3. For baked-on residue, Instant’s manual recommends spraying a mix of baking soda and vinegar on the cooking chamber walls, letting it sit several minutes on stubborn spots, then wiping clean with a damp cloth.
4. Let the heating coil dry completely before running the unit again. Both manuals treat a wet coil as a malfunction risk, not just a cosmetic issue.
5. Wipe the exterior and the power cord with a barely damp cloth. Do not clean the appliance by rinsing it under a faucet, which is an explicit warning in Instant’s manual.

What Actually Damages the Nonstick Coating

Nonstick coatings fail from a short list of habits, and every manual reviewed here names the same culprits.

• Metal scouring pads and steel wool. COSORI’s and Instant’s manuals both warn that fragments can break off and touch electrical parts, adding a shock risk on top of scratching the coating.
• Metal utensils inside the basket. COSORI’s manual calls this out specifically for the nonstick coating; use silicone or wood tongs instead.
• Washing a part the manual does not certify as dishwasher-safe. Instant’s manual dishwasher-safes the cooking tray but not the separate basket, so running the whole basket through a dishwasher cycle is not covered by the brand’s general “dishwasher safe” marketing claim.
• Abrasive cleaners or powders. COSORI’s manual pairs this warning with the metal-utensil warning every time it lists cleaning instructions.
• Skipping the cool-down step. Every manual reviewed here puts “let the unit cool” first, ahead of any wiping or washing instructions.

Why Your Air Fryer Smokes or Smells Burnt

White smoke from a basket that just cooked bacon, sausage, or other high-fat food usually means grease has collected beneath the crisper plate, according to COSORI’s own troubleshooting section, which also notes the basket will run hotter than usual in this state and calls it normal but avoidable with regular cleaning. Instant’s troubleshooting table lists a second, separate cause for black smoke: food residue burning on the heating coil or inside the cooking chamber, with the fix being to unplug, let the unit cool, then clean the chamber and every accessory before the next run.

When to Stop Cleaning and Start Replacing

Light discoloration after machine washing is cosmetic, according to COSORI’s manual, which states plainly that “some discoloration may occur after machine washing, but this will not affect the cooker’s safety or performance.” Replace the basket instead of scrubbing harder once the coating is visibly flaking, scratched down to bare metal, or the crisper plate no longer sits flat.

Before you replace anything, confirm your model is not part of an active recall. The CPSC’s SaferProducts.gov database lists six air fryer recalls since 2022: two separate Insignia recalls (2022 and 2024) for melting handles and shattering oven doors, a 2023 COSORI recall covering two million units for a fire and burn hazard, a 2023 Secura recall and a 2023 Power XL Dual Basket recall, and a 2022 Newair-branded Magic Chef recall, all for fire or burn hazards rather than cleaning damage. None of the six were cleaning-related, but a five-minute check on saferproducts.gov before you keep using an older unit costs nothing.

If your basket is past saving, current picks are in The Best Air Fryers of 2026, weighted toward models whose manuals certify the full basket, not just one tray, as dishwasher-safe.

FAQ

Can you put an air fryer basket in the dishwasher?

Only if your specific manual says so. COSORI’s TurboBlaze basket and crisper plate are dishwasher-safe on the top rack. Instant’s Vortex manual dishwasher-safes the cooking tray but tells owners to hand-wash the separate basket, despite the brand’s own product FAQ saying the basket is dishwasher safe. Check the printed manual for your model, not just the box or the website.

Why does my air fryer smell burnt even after I clean it?

The smell usually comes from grease trapped under the crisper plate or baked onto the heating coil that a quick wipe missed, per COSORI’s troubleshooting guidance. Pull the crisper plate all the way out and check underneath, not just inside the basket.

What removes baked-on grease from an air fryer?

A paste of baking soda and vinegar left on the spot for several minutes before wiping, per Instant’s Vortex manual. Avoid metal scrapers, which scratch the nonstick coating.

How often should you clean an air fryer?

After every use for the basket and crisper plate, since both COSORI’s and Instant’s manuals list this as a standing instruction rather than a periodic one. Check the interior and heating coil whenever you cook something fatty.

Can you use Bar Keepers Friend or another abrasive cleaner on the basket?

No. Every manual reviewed here, Ninja’s, COSORI’s, and Instant’s, warns against abrasive cleaners and metal scouring pads on the nonstick coating. Stick to warm water, mild dish soap, and a non-abrasive sponge.